Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger no. 1. ,405 Winchester ??

Boys, I've got some questions about the 405. But before the questions, some background.

Last July, I bought a Ruger no. 1 450/400 3". Within days, I lost my job. Back in Feb., I sold the rifle, having never shot it. Well last week I finally found a new job, and will go back to work June 1. Coincidentally, I've got a chance to buy a no. 1, 405, at a very good price. My thoughts now are that I can load the 405 up to factory ballistics of the 450/400[and a little higher] hornady rounds. I can get woodleigh solids and softs[400 gr], to do this with. Also, brass and 300 gr. bullets will be cheaper, as well as dies and othe components.

So now for the questions.

What is the best powder to use on the 400 gr. bullets, to get to the 2100 fps. and a little over?

How hard can I push the 405[safely], with 300 gr. bullets, including the Barnes 300 gr. TSX?

I heard a few yrs. ago, barnes made a 350 gr. solid[.411], but discontinued it. Anybody happen to know where I might find some?

Lastly, for those of you who would like to know, the gun will be used for hog/bear, hear in the states, and possibly another plains game hunt, across the pond, in 11 or 12.

Any insight/opinions appreciated.

maddog

Congradulations on finding the new JOB!

I can't help you with information on the 405.

maddog,

Obviously, you suscribe to a different philosophy in terms of reloading than I.

My feelings are: If you want/need a .450/.400 NE, then that's what you should buy.

Trying to make the .405 into a Nitro Exp. is an exercise in futility. What is wrong with enjoying the .405 for what it is? The twist on the .405 is meant to be optimum with 300 gr. bullets.

I would think that if a fellow is affluent enough to afford an African safari, then the price of a rifle would be small consideration.

Just idle thoughts from a mostly idle mind...

Edw

GH, I see your point, but the 450/400 might get used on 1 Dg hunt. The 405, and I didn't make myself clear, would be used here on bear/hogs, and over there for a plains game hunt. I'd be using 300 gr. for all this stuff. My question about the 400s would be to build it up at a later date. I tend to be a guy that tries to get maximum utility out of fewer guns. I imagine 90+% of the ammo, shot thru it would be 300gr. bullets. I'm just thinking down the road on the overall utility[for me] of the 405 vs. the 450/400.

maddog

John Barnsness wrote an article in Rifle several years ago about trying to do just what you're trying to do. Might want to see if you can get that from someone. Or subscribe to load data .com those loads should be listed there.
I don't see the need to run the 405 with anything heavier than the 300 gr bullets altho , I did learn almost the hard way that buying the "premium" bullets for hunting is money better spent than the Hornday's.
Hogdons has data for the 400 gr bullet on their web, but I think it falls a bit short of your 2100 mark. In a conversation with a fella in the ammunition business about the 400 gr bullet he indicated he wasn't reall convince that pressure could be kept at a reasonable level in the cartridge without some throat modifications to allow for a bit longer oal. Even then you won't gain alot of case space.
Enjoy the 405 as it is. It's a great cartridge easy to work with and really accurate when you hit the right combination.

Maddog

I have both the 405 and the 450/400. Both are great guns. I'm getting 2200 out of the 300gr in the 405 and between 1900 and 2000 out of the 400gr. I don't think you can get 2200 or 2100 out of her safely with the 400gr. I would try TAC and H 4895 For powders. The 450/400 shots the 400gr at 2200. I haven't tried the 300gr in it yet. Another though is Ruger stopped make the 405's so you may want to get it, and then pic up the 450/400 later. 358mt

Maddog,

Now that you have clarified your position, I can see your side of it. I still think it'd be easier to just drive a few hours north and borrow my 1-H in .416 Rem Mag for your DG hunt. (Be cheaper in the long run, as well... )

Hunting DG with a sgl loader, would not be my choice... But if one is hunting DG, then one must have a PH, and any PH worth his salt, would provide adequate back-up. Since really the only viable DG choice would be ol' M'Bogo... one well placed shot should take care of business. However, if one is hunting the big cats, I'd rather have a repeater. But to each his own...

Myself, I have a tendency to tailor my rifles to be optimum for one specific task. Any time you compormise, you lose to some extent.

I make no apologies for the usual use of logic...

Edw

were the .405's made in a 1-S barrel profile? or were they barreled with a beefier tropical profile??

i could dig a 1-s in .405....

Fyrepowr,

I believe the .405's share the same contour as the 1-H in .375 H&H.

As you may or may not be aware, Ruger has two different barrel profiles in the 1-H Tropical. The .416's, 458 Win and Lott have a much heavier profile than the .375. IMHO, too heavy to preclude using them in the field... But that's just one person's opinion. As far as I can see, they get used more at the range than in the field. More of a odd curiousity that a real hunting rifle. I once read an article about the .375 H&H. The writer claimed that there are lots of them in the US that never get taken to Africa. He opined that was bacause a lot of shooters know they will never go to Africa, but still want to have a piece of it that they can hold onto...

Myself, being no exception: I have owned 6 rifles in .375 H&H, two .416 Rem Mags, a .416 Rigby and a .458. Of them all, only one ever drew blood... the Rigby! (And a W/T deer, of all things...) I could have taken that deer with 50 other rifles I own that are more appropriate...

Edw

GH, well said. Maybe I'll take ya up on borrowing the rifle, unless I long throat a 45-70.....

maddog

Actually, I'm quite serious... I also have an ample supply of Barnes solids squirreled away. Not to mention, an ample supply of brass and dies, as well. My .416 is equipped with an NECG peep sight.

Edw

The #1 is very strong, but the 95 Winchester, the original platform for the 405, was not a weak rifle. I don't think this case is like going from a Trapdoor .45-70 to a #1 .45-70, where you can dramatically increase the charges over factory loads. Maybe you'll get a little more speed than factory .405's before you start to see excessive case expansion, or other pressure signs - but maybe you won't.

"Be careful" is the obvious advice! Congrats on the new job!

I also agree with tex n cal. You should be able to get a little more out of the 405. Maybe not 450/400 specs but more than the standard 405 load. Components advance over time like everything. The 45-70 happens to be an extreme example but we can even get noticeably more out of the 30-06 with prudent loading.

Well, after thinking it over, I decided to take a pass on the 405 Win. I kept mulling over what Grasshopper said, and decided maybe he's right. I may go back to the 450/400 3", or I've had a crazy idea about a ruger no. 1 in 458 win mag. I'll have to see.

maddog